Page 7 of The Girls of Pearl Harbor
CHAPTER TWO
EVA
One thing Eva never tired of was being invited to other ships for dinner, and tonight was no different. It helped to keep her mind off things like the possible approach of war, and her fiancé, who was so close to defying orders and leaving his unit behind to travel to Europe. She shuddered just thinking about the repercussions, not wanting to imagine Charlie joining the war before their country was even involved.
‘Welcome!’ The captain waved to them as they clambered onto the ship from their smaller rowboat and then held his hand out to assist Eva with her final step. She grasped it gratefully and stood back to let the other nurses pass.
‘Come this way!’ he announced, gesturing for them to follow, and Eva walked behind him, admiring the big ship and wondering who would have enough money to own something so extravagant.
They were passed drinks, and Eva stifled a laugh as she traded glances with some of the other nurses. They were in civilian clothes, and it was nice to be out of her starched nurse’s uniform, even if it was just for a few hours. Although she would have preferred to be on land with the girls she’d met the night before—they’d been a lot of fun, and she’d enjoyed talking with Grace on the beach. All three of the girls had been nice, but there was something about Grace; she was very much the youngest of the group and so innocent, but Eva liked her courage. The poor girl was scared of blood and had been manhandled at her first dance, but she was clearly determined to keep up with the others and not let her sister see her weakness.
‘Tell me, what do you think about it all?’
Eva turned and came face-to-face with the ship’s captain again, who’d for some reason made a beeline straight for her.
‘What do I think about what?’ she asked, smiling as he clinked his glass of champagne to hers. She took a small sip, more out of nervousness than a real desire to consume it.
‘About thissituation?’ he said, lowering his voice on the last word as if it were a secret. ‘Do you think there’s going to be a war?’
Eva shook her head. ‘I wish I knew, but we don’t know any more than you do, I’m afraid.’
‘I was certain you’d have heard more of what’s going on,’ he said, raising a brow.
She had no idea why he thought she’d be in the know, but she had nothing of interest to tell him.
‘We’re all in limbo, waiting to see what will happen,’ she said politely. ‘But we couldn’t exactly be anywhere more picturesque while we wait, could we?’
He laughed and raised his glass again, before moving on to another group of visitors. Eva moved away from the crowd, then leaned against the rails and stared back at her home away from home for now, theSolace. She was a magnificent ship, pure white with a big red cross emblazoned along the side, with a flag flying proudly at the stern. She’d once been a luxury passenger liner, featuring ornate staircases and dark wood paneling, and Eva could only imagine what it would have been like traveling on board on a cruise to Canada or even Cuba for the summer. But now she was a more practical ship, the only hospital ship stationed in Hawaii, and with her interior remodeled to accommodate hospital wards and space for the navy servicemen and nurses. They even had their own mess room of sorts, with comfortable chairs and tables to play cards on.
She gazed out farther, at the water glistening as the sun started to make its departure for the day and at the aircraft in the distance performing a drill in the sky. It was rare for planes to come any closer—they were usually some distance away—which meant that many of her fellow nurses seemed surprised at how many pilots were stationed on the island. But not her. She was reminded of the fact every single time she thought of her Charlie.
It had been only yesterday morning that she’d seen him, staring up into the bluest eyes she’d ever known, eyes she’d been admiring since she was barely fourteen years old. Eyes that she’d never forget even if she didn’t see her man for weeks, months, or even years.
‘Charlie, you’re being unreasonable,’ she told him.
Her heart was beating so hard and fast she thought she was going to collapse. There was a roaring sound in her ears, like the ocean, even though they were so far inland, sitting on a grass field beneath coconut trees. It should have been so idyllic, so picturesque, but instead they were arguing over Charlie’s role in the war.
‘The war is coming, Eva, whether anyone wants to admit it or not. It’s only a matter of time before we’re all plunged headfirst into the fighting.’
‘You’re wrong,’ she argued. ‘What information have you received to make you think that? What do you know that no one else does? Because no one I’ve spoken to thinks our country is in any rush to join the war.’
He moved away, his hand no longer pressed to hers, his leg no longer brushing her thigh where they sat on the grass. Charlie was in uniform, his tie and jacket looking so at odds with the otherwise relaxed surroundings, and she could tell from the intense look on his face that nothing she said was going to change his mind.
‘Charlie, please,’ she begged, standing and reaching for his hand. His palm was at his side, hanging, and she put her other arm around him, her cheek to his shoulder, standing behind him. ‘I can’t lose you.’
‘There are other pilots there already, Eva,’ he said, his body stiff. ‘They fought in the Battle of Britain while I stayed here and waited, dutifully following my orders.’
‘I know,’ she said, taking a deep breath and blinking away tears. ‘But those friends of yours, those other pilots, they can’t ever return here, Charlie. You can’t just defy our neutrality laws and expect to get away with it.’
They both knew what had been threatened already. Those pilots had been told they could lose their citizenship or be imprisoned if they ever tried to return home. She couldn’t have Charlie in that situation!
‘Why are you so determined to go? Why isn’t it enough that you’ll be the first deployed if we join the war?’ she asked, holding him, forcing him to relax into her.
Charlie was silent, but eventually he turned in her arms, his eyes softening as he dipped down, his forehead pressed to hers as he stooped lower.
‘I want to help them,’ he said softly. ‘I don’t want to leave you—you know that—but they’re desperate for more pilots over the pond, and maybe I could help them win this war before America even has to join it.’
Eva stood on tiptoes, gently touching her lips to his. She loved Charlie so much, this gorgeous, courageous pilot of hers, and it broke her heart to think of him being shot down in the sky. She opened her mouth, pausing as she lowered herself to her heels, before saying something she’d never, ever needed to say before this moment. It was her weakness, the one thing that had always been unsaid between them, but if it stopped him leaving and traveling to Europe on some suicide mission, then she wasn’t going to stay quiet.
